Although we say we manufacture furikake, we do not manufacture the furikake contained in small packages that can be seen on dinner tables. We deliver flavored shaved bushi that has been dried and flavored again to be used as a part of furikake to food manufacturers across Japan.
As this is a factory manufacturing industrial products, we pay very close attention to hygiene management and quality control.
Ojima Factory (Furikake Manufacturing Factory)
At the Ojima factory, we manufacture flavored shaved bushi (furikake ingredients), flavored dashi powder, and other dried ingredients out of the bushi (skipjack tuna, mackerel, European pilchard, etc.) shaved at the Tajiri factory.
With a large dryer for mass production, we are able to dry over 1,000kg of flavored shaved bushi each day and over 2,000kg of flavored dashi powder each day.
Because the bushi is shaved at the Tajiri factory, you can select the type of bushi you desire. You can also specify the shaving method. With thinly shaved bushi, you can create soft furikake that melts in your mouth. Using thickly shaved bushi with strong flavoring, you can create furikake with a good texture.
Other than furikake, we also manufacture flavored dashi powder.
Flavored dashi powder is pulverized bushi, such as katsuobushi, that has been flavored and dried. It enables the manufacturing of dashi seasoning from which dashi is easy to extract.
Seasoning Mixing Process (1)
We enter the bushi shaved at Tajiri factory into the bucket of the feeding machine.
Based on the quality of the shaved bushi, the quality of the flavored shaved bushi changes. We select the ingredients so that there are no discrepancies in the quality of our products. At Kobayashi Foods, we allow for selection of the ingredients of the bushi and the thickness and shape of the bushi.
Seasoning Mixing Process (2)
Once the bucket is raised and the shaved bushi is fed into the seasoning mixer, seasoning liquids and seasoning powder are applied to the shaved bushi.
For seasoned shaved bushi to be used in furikake, 20kg of shaved bushi can be seasoned at once.
Seasoning Mixing Process (3)
Once the seasoning is mixed evenly, the shaved bushi is dropped into the dryer net.
Drying Process (1)
The drying process begins here.
Using a dryer with a length of 27m, temperature settings are set depending on each product and the current season, and the product moisture is adjusted to meet the standards.
If over-dried, charring occurs, and if under-dried, it is too sticky, making the product fall out of the standard moisture range. We dry the products while checking the moisture.
Drying Process (2)
Drying is performed slowly using a hot air dryer. The drying time is roughly 40 to 90 minutes.
Granulation
Once the product has had its moisture adjusted in the large dryer, its grain size is adjusted before it is transferred to the packaging room. The desired grain size can be attained by adjusting the mesh of the granulation sieve.
As there are 6 types of mesh sizes, please select a mesh size that suits your needs.
Sorting
The flavored shaved bushi that has been granulated goes through visual sorting performed by human eyes.
As we exert ourselves to remove foreign matter starting at the ingredient processing stage, it is highly unlikely for foreign matter to be contained at this stage. Pieces of vinyl are rarely contained, but foreign matter are completely removed from the product during this process.
Also, because the product uses natural ingredients, skin and bones may be included. These items are also subject to removal as foreign matter.
Weighing/Packaging
Once the dried product has had its grain size adjusted by the granulation machine and passed through the metal detector, it goes through inspection, weighing, and packaging.
During this process, a simple moisture meter is used to measure the moisture to ensure that the product meets the moisture standards.
Completion
The process concludes after bagging and packaging.
This package includes 10kg.
